North Castle Volunteers Plan to Refurbish Signature Eagle
A group of volunteers is raising money to reconstruct one of North Castle’s most recognizable symbols.
The Eagle Restoration Committee is starting a fundraising drive to replace the 40-foot-high eagle near the intersection of routes 128 and 22. Built in 1976 by community volunteers for the nation’s bicentennial, the wood structure has been slowly deteriorating in recent years.
At the March 13 North Castle Town Board meeting, committee members Annette Yaroscak and Connie Quarrie displayed a piece of wood that had fallen off of the eagle and dropped to the ground below.
“We would like to start the process of replacing the eagle with a new permanent structure,” said Yaroscak, whose husband, Tom, was one of the local residents instrumental in completing the original project 37 years ago. “The (town’s) engineers, Kellard & Sessions, are providing us with specifications for bid and are also helping us with the selection of materials.”
The eagle, which is accompanied by a flagpole and an American flag and has a landscaped area at its base, is one of the main gateways to Armonk. The area is used to advertise community events by local schools and organizations.
Yaroscak said it is likely the new eagle will be made either of metal or some sort of composite material rather than wood. The cost of the project will be paid entirely through donations, she said. There was no mention last week of what the new eagle would cost.
Orestes Mihaly, part of the group of residents who helped build the eagle, said it was originally meant to serve as a temporary archway into the hamlet for the town’s bicentennial celebration. But the state, which has jurisdiction over routes 22 and 128 because both thoroughfares are state roads, refused to grant permission to the town to place it over the roadway, Mihaly said. Instead, the current site was chosen about two days before the festivities.
The eagle was repainted in 1992 and was even attacked by vandals in the past. Mihaly said he hopes that the eagle will be around for the nation’s tricentennial.
“Driving northbound towards Armonk, the eagle seems to rise from the horizon. Its silhouette becomes more and more visible as the illuminated flag of our great country flaps in the wind,” Mihaly said.
Quarrie said the town’s Beautification Committee has already planned new plantings at the structure’s bases. That is expected to be completed by the fall.
Last week Supervisor Howard Arden said a local resident has offered to donate new LED lighting that will improve the illumination of the eagle and flag during the evening hours. It will also save about 80 percent of the electricity costs, he said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
